Shavout

Shavuot is the day the Torah was given -- celebrating the supernatural encounter between God and the Israelites at Mount Sinai, an event which changed mankind forever. Shavuot commemorates the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai and is also the Festival of the First Fruits or the Feast of the Weeks. Every Jewish holiday falls on a specific day of the month, with one exception: Shavuot, the day on which we received the Torah. Aish says:

Shavuot is always the 50th day following the beginning of Passover. Under the essential Jewish calendar in which the rabbinical court determined the beginning of a month through witnesses who saw the new moon, it could technically fall on any one of three dates since the number of days in a Jewish month could vary from year to year.

The name Shavuot alludes to its independence from the standard calendar. The name means "weeks," demonstrating how the holiday marks the culmination of
seven weeks regardless of the date.

What is the essence of that dateless day? Hints to the answer lie within the process that leads to Shavuot, the book we read on Shavuot, and the number 50 itself.

The key to understanding Shavuot lies within the process that leads up to it. We start counting the days from our exodus from Egypt, our birth as a people, and continue to count until Shavuot, the 50th day. That count marks a period of national metamorphosis. The Jewish people had been so entrenched in Egypt that the Torah described the Exodus as the extraction of one nation from amidst another. As a child just born, we were in our spiritual infancy and in just 50 days we achieved the lofty stature that enabled us to receive the Torah. Our count begins with a simple sacrifice of barley, food regarded as animal fodder. It culminates with a special sacrifice of the finest bread, human food, signifying our national arrival at a new level of existence.

The synagogue and home are decorated with flowers, plants and fruits. Dairy foods such as cheesecake and blintzes (which represent the shape of the Torah) are traditionally served. Shavuot, which means "weeks", refers to the timing of the festival which is held exactly 7 weeks after Passover.

Click for some delicious recipes for Shavuot.

Who did God give the Torah to at Mount Sinai? Moses, right?

Wrong.

According to the Torah, all of the Israelites heard God speak at Mount Sinai. He appeared to everyone, approximately 3 million people and this is mentioned several times in the Torah.

[Moses told the Israelites]: 'Only beware for yourself and greatly beware for your soul, lest you forget the things that your eyes have beheld. Do not remove this memory from your heart all the days of your life. Teach your children and your children's children about the day that you stood before the Lord your God at Horev [Mount Sinai]...

God spoke to you from the midst of the fire, you were hearing the sound of words, but you were not seeing a form, only a sound. He told you of His covenant, instructing you to keep the Ten Commandments, and He inscribed them on two stone tablets.' (Deut.4:9-13)

'You have been shown in order to know that God, He is the Supreme Being. There is none besides Him. From heaven he let you hear His voice in order to teach you, and on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words amid the fire.' (Deut. 4:32-36)

Moses called all of Israel and said to them: 'Hear, O Israel, the decrees and the ordinances that I speak in your ears today -- learn them, and be careful to perform them. The Lord your God sealed a covenant with us at Horev [Mount Sinai]. Not with our forefathers did God seal this covenant, but with us -- we who are here, all of us alive today. Face to face did God speak with you on the mountain from amid the fire.' (Deut. 5:1-4)

Today begins the two day holiday of Shavuot (or Shavuos in the Ashkenazic pronunciation).

It is the anniversary and celebration of the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai to the Jewish people more than 3,319 years ago. It is a time of rededication and commitment to learning Torah.

For lots more about Shavuot, go to http://www.aish.com/holidays/shavuot/default.asp

But let's not also forget the Farhud, where Arabs trained by the Nazis in Baghdad, killed, maimed and committed numerous atrocities against the Jewish population on the two days on the Jewish holiday of Shavuot in 1941. The Farhud was the beginning of the end of 2,600 years of Jewish life in Iraq. This event commenced with a rampage of mass murder, mutilation, rape, burning and looting. The carnage would be forever seared upon the collective Iraqi Jewish consciousness.

Until now, the term "Farhud" and the riots and subsequent persecution of the Iraqi Jews during Holocaust and has been completely omitted from virtually all Holocaust study and memorials. This turning point event--the Farhud--was recently resurrected, during the fall of 2004, by a series of Iraqi community seminars, an award-winning bestselling book by author Edwin Black, as well as recent lectures and articles on the subject.

FARHUD - The Farhud Recognition Project

Folks, pay close attention. The Farhud happened in 1941. Do the math, folks. Israel wasn't reborn until 1948.

So was it the "occupation" of the "thepoorpalestinianpeople" that caused the Farhud? Or was the murder of Jews by Iraqis in 1941 just plain Jewicide for the sake of Jewicide?

I know you see my point, readers. I know you can't reject this fact. What you must do, is simply denounce the true intentions of the palestinians and convince all the dopey leftwing "peace supporters" to stop their blind encouragement for the palestinian "occupation" claim, because the reality is - it's a shill.

The fact that Jews in the British Mandate have been attacked by Arabs since the early 1900's - was not because of any territorial dispute - but just because Jews existed.

Maybe Islam is the root of the problem.

Video: Turning Shavuot night into a Solidarity Event with Sderot

With the holiday of Shavuot approaching, and people preparing to stay up to learn Torah on Shavuot evening, 12Tribe Films Foundation (http://www.12tribefilms.org/) and the Sderot Hesder Yeshiva (http://www.sderot.org/) are introducing the "Shavuot Mishnathon" - where people can learn Torah to support the people of Sderot.

This year young and old, schools and communities can all join together and pledge to learn a number of mishnayot on Shavuot night while seeking sponsorships from family and friends. The Shavout Mishnathon allows all to learn together and help an institution that is helping the people of Sderot. All proceeds go directly to the Sderot Hesder Yeshiva.

See the video on the Yeshiva here - http://12tribefilms.org/mishnathonforsderot

The situation in Sderot remains unsettling with rockets falling on the community on a daily basis. Despite the situation, the Sderot Hesder Yeshiva has continued to flourish with over 500 students and has become a pillar in the community, reaching out to those in need, from all walks of life, during these difficult times.

Now the Yeshiva is embarking on a major campaign to construct new "kassam proof" dormitories on campus. These units are in immediate need, as the students were forced off campus and into temporary housing since their dormitories were deemed unsafe from rocket attacks.

The Shavuot Mishnathon allows all to learn together and help an institution that is helping the people of Sderot.

Students or community members can all take part in the Shavuot Mishnathon.

All individuals or institutions interested in joining should send an email to avi@12tribefilms.org to request the Mishnathon program packet with all the materials needed to run and take part in the Mishnathon.

This year Jews worldwide can all connect on the Shavuot holiday by learning Torah and supporting our fellow Jews in Sderot.

All questions or inquiries can be sent to avi@12tribefilms.org

Avi Abelow
Founder and CEO
12Tribe Films Foundation
http://www.12tribefilms.org/

12Tribe Films Foundation is a program provider specializing in movies and cultural events that show a side of the Jewish and Israeli narrative that receives little attention in the public discourse today. Our aim is to provide programs that allow people to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the Jewish people and the Land of Israel today.

See our premier production: http://www.12tribefilms.org/homegame

Today in Jewish History - Adar 14

Sponsored by Aish:

In 355 BCE, the Jews celebrated their successful defeat of Haman's anti-Semitic mobs, an event we commemorate today with the Purim holiday.We read the Megillah (Scroll of Esther), dress up in costumes, and celebrate how the Jews of Persia narrowly escaped annihilation, thanks to the bravery of Esther and Mordechai. In Shushan, the Persian capital, however, the battle lasted one additional day and Purim was not celebrated until the 15th of Adar. Thus today in Jerusalem, Purim is celebrated one day later than the rest of the world.

Adar 14 is also the day in 1912 that Henrietta Szold founded Hadassah, the women's Zionist organization. In 1892, even before Herzl's activities, Szold and her father formed the first Zionist society in Baltimore, and Hadassah was her idea to mobilize American Jewish women in support of Israel. In 1920, Szold made aliyah, wher she supervised the opening of Hadassah medical units, playgrounds and public health programs. At age 73, Szold, as head of the Youth Aliyah Department, traveled to Germany where she worked to save Jewish youth destined for Hitler's ovens. Szold is buried in Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives. Today Hadassah operates the largest hospital in Jerusalem, and its 300,000 members make it one of the largest women's organizations in the world.

Also on this day, in 1942, in the town of Zdunska Wola in Nazi-occupied Poland, 10 Jews were hanged by Hitler's SS, in a sadistic parody of events in the Book of Esther. To add to this debacle, the Gestapo ordered all Jews out of their homes in order to witness the hangings. On Purim day the following year, 1943, there was another 'Purim massacre' in the Polish town of Piotrkow, where 10 Jews were executed. Hitler harbored a venomous hatred for the holiday of Purim: When the Nazis invaded Poland in 1939, he banned the reading of the Book of Esther, an ordered that all synagogues be closed and barred on Purim day. "Unless Germany is victorious," he proclaimed, "Jewry could then celebrate the destruction of Europe by a second triumphant Purim Festival." Incredibly, when Nazi officer Julius Streicher ascended the gallows to be hanged at Nuremberg, he shouted, "Purimfest 1946."

Today in Jewish History - Adar 13

Sponsored by Aish:

On Adar 13, during the biblical story of Purim, the 10 sons of Haman were hanged (Esther 9:7). This would find eerie parallel over 2,000 years later when 10 top Nazi officials were hanged at the Nuremberg Trials. Incredibly, the Hebrew year of the hangings at Nuremberg, 5707, is encoded in the Book of Esther: In the listing of Haman's 10 sons, three Hebrew letters -- taf, shin and zayin, representing the year 5707 -- are written unusually small. (This anomaly appears in every authentic Megillah scroll, written that way for over 2,000 years.) Incredibly, when Nazi officer Julius Streicher ascended the gallows to be hanged at Nuremberg, he shouted, "Purimfest 1946."

Today in Jewish History - Shvat 15

Sponsored by Aish.com:

Today is Tu B'Shvat, the New Year for the Trees. This is technically the day when trees stop absorbing water from the ground, and instead draw nourishment from their sap. In Jewish law, this means that fruit which has blossomed prior to the 15th of Shvat could not be used as tithe for fruit which blossomed after that date. The custom on Tu B'Shvat is to eat fruits from the seven species for which the Land of Israel is praised: "...a land of wheat and barley and (grape) vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and (date) honey" (Deut. 8:8).

On this date in 1925, the Technion opened in Haifa, becoming Israel's first modern university. Albert Einstein served as president of the first Technion Society. Today, Technion graduates comprise the majority of Israeli-educated scientists and engineers, and Israel is now home to the greatest concentration of high-tech start up companies anywhere outside of the Silicon Valley. High-tech industry accounts for more than 54% of Israel's industrial exports. In Israel, nine out of every 1,000 workers are engaged in R&D, nearly double the rate of the U.S. and Japan. More achievements: The Technion is credited with the birth of fiber-optics. In 1998, the Technion became the fifth university worldwide to successfully design, build, and launch its own satellite. In 2004, two Technion professors received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their research in the protein breakdown in cells.

Today in Jewish History - Kislev 25

Sponsored by Aish.com:

In 165 BCE, the Maccabees defeated the Greek army and rededicated the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Finding only one jar of pure oil, they lit the Menorah, which miraculously burned for eight days. Also on this day -- 1,100 years earlier -- Moses and the Jewish people completed construction of the Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary that accompanied them during 40 years of wandering in the desert. The Tabernacle was not dedicated, however, for another three months; tradition says that the day of Kislev 25 was then "compensated" centuries later -- when the miracle of Chanukah occurred and the Temple was rededicated. Today, Jews around the world light a Chanukah menorah, to commemorate the miracle of the oil, and its message that continues to illuminate our lives today.

Ethiopians want Sigd to be recognized as Jewish holiday

I would most definitely be for this holiday to be added to the Jewish calendar. A Jew should grab at any opportunity that would enable him to repent and become closer to HaShem. From JPost:

Hundreds of members of the Ethiopian community signed their names to a petition Thursday calling for Israel's religious leaders to incorporate the annual Sigd festival in the calendar of religious Jewish holidays.

As in previous years, Ethiopian Israelis young and old, Israel-born and new and veteran immigrants were bused from around the country on Thursday to Jerusalem's Haas Promenade to mark the ancient holiday, whose name means "to prostate oneself in worship" and is meant to renew the covenant between God and the people of Israel. It is normally celebrated 50 days after Yom Kippur, on the 29th of the Hebrew month of Heshvan, but was held two days early this year because the date fell on Shabbat. The community's spiritual leaders, or Kessim, recite prayers in the Ethiopian Jewish language of Gez calling for the return of all Jews to Jerusalem.

The drive to have the holiday made part of the Jewish calendar was initiated earlier this week by the Israel Association of Ethiopian Jews, which sent its request to Sephardi Rabbi Shlomo Amar and Ashkenazi Rabbi Yona Metzger.

"There have been many festivals over the years that were started in the Diaspora but were eventually incorporated into the cycle of Jewish holidays by the rabbis of the time," said association spokesman Avi Masfin. He cited Hanukka and Purim as holidays that were established by particular communities and later adopted by all of world Jewry.

Today in Jewish History - Tishrei 21

Sponsored by Aish.com:

In 1946, following the Nuremberg trials, 10 Nazi war criminals were hanged. The hanging of the 10 Nazis eerily echoed the 10 sons of Haman who were hanged in the Purim story. Incredibly, this day on the Jewish calendar is Hoshana Raba, the traditional day of judgment for the nations of the world.

Thank you, Aish NY

I had been a member of a local shul for three years until it went extremely progressive. The shul was within walking distance from my home; in fact, it was a very treasured walkable distance, which made attendance a delight, even though some erev shabbat discussions on whether God existed or how as a congregation we could promote homosexual unions in Judaism, were not so. The liberal congregation was more intent on how we could increase our rapport with local Muslims than they were committed to acknowledging the legitimacy of the sovereign nation of Israel, or helping victims of Muslim terror. Clearly, I wanted more out of my shul. I wanted a rabbi who believed in HaShem and who would masterfully transfer his faith to his congregation, I wanted to belong to a congregation whose members believed in HaShem, and most of all, I wanted tradition, not reformation. So I abandoned my little shul and my dream of being a member of a congregation in this little corner of town. It hurt.

Then two years ago I discovered www.nomembershiprequired.com, a site dedicated to identifying High Holiday services in over 50 cities nationwide, where if you are not a member, it's not a problem. I entered my geography and - bingo - I discovered an Aish shul, and for the past three High Holidays, I have been able to participate in services in an Orthodox shul, where the men sit apart from the women, and where I have been able to be a member of a faithful Orthodox community. The only problem is that I can't walk there for weekly services. I'll figure something out.

With this post, I wish to declare my deepest appreciation to the Rabbis at Aish NY for their dedicated leadership to their congregation, for their moving and pious attention to each word in the Machzor, and for their inspired discussions on HaShem, atonement, forgiveness, rebirth, mercy, and Jerusalem. May HaShem Bless each of you and your families with good health, prosperity and joy in the New Year.

...asking G-d for forgiveness...

Excerpted from Aish.com:

On Yom Kippur the opportunity to re-experience God's love for us is greater than it is at any other time. What that means is that God makes it possible to break down the most resilient barrier that we can erect separating us from our Father -- the barrier of sin.

The word "sin" has a terrible reputation. It is associated with paralyzing guilt that reduces our souls to dust. In fact, there are three words in Hebrew that describe "sin" which is really a failure of honest self-expression:

One is chet, which literally means missing the mark.

The second is avon, which means desire.

The third is pesha, which means rebellion.

When we take responsibility for our actions and for the direction that our lives have taken, (even when our decisions were colored by other people or external factors), we can begin to move forward. As long as we deny where we stand today, we will find that we are still there tomorrow.

There is one major obstacle to self-change. The past cannot be re-lived. The patterns that we have allowed ourselves to develop are extremely difficult to break.

How many times do we find ourselves trapped by the insidious, invisible automatic pilot. What frees us from the burden of self-imposed rigidity is God Himself. He is willing to reverse the laws of cause and effect in order to liberate us from ourselves. The one condition that is required is that we take responsibility for our choices, and regret the damage that we have done.

The classical confession is the means that we use to do this. It is said five times on Yom Kippur during each of the silent standing prayers, the "Amidah". Rather than ending our silent devotion by beseeching God to grant us peace, we add the confession before concluding.

By studying this confession, we can do the inner work to maximize the power of the day. Let us look at it carefully.

THE CONFESSION

ASHAMNU: We have become desolate.

We commit ourselves to recognizing that our failures are self-destructive.

BAGADNU: We have betrayed our potential, our families, God Himself.

We can question who we have been in our multifaceted role as a human being and as a Jew? Who have we betrayed? Is it not ultimately ourselves as well as others?

GAZALNU: We have stolen.

This includes not only financial theft, but theft of time, and misleading others into thinking that we are more accomplished than we actually are. This sin is especially damaging in that it reflects the fact that we have rejected the role in life that God has given us.

DEBARNU DOFI: We have spoken with "two mouths" -- we have been hypocritical.

We can confront our fear of rejection, and the dishonesty that we use to "cover ourselves." Who are we afraid of? Why? Should we not be more willing to tackle the reality that confronts us?

HEYVINU: We have made things crooked.

This includes all forms of dishonest rationalizations. Our hunger for decency sometimes is satiable through false justifications. We must remember that even a murderer invariably justifies himself at the time he commits the crime. We must rise above the false self-pity that at times lets us slip into situational ethics.

VIHIRSHANU: And we have made others wicked.

We have forced others into destructive responses. An example of this is a parent who slaps the face of an older child, almost forcing him into loss of verbal (and possibly even physical) self-control.

ZADNU: We have sinned intentionally.

The classical example is lying, in which case there is always full awareness of the factuality of the sin. How could we learn to bring God back into our consciousness when we are blinded by stress and fear?

CHAMASNU: We have been violent.

This includes all forms of taking the law in one's own hands. Almost everyone has fallen into the trap of letting the ends justify the means.

TAFALNU SHEKER: We have become desensitized to dishonesty.

Dishonesty feels "normal" to us. When we live in a time and place where lying is "normal," we can endeavor to envision our spiritual heroes in our shoes.

YATZNU RA: We have given bad advice.

This often is the result of being ashamed to admit ignorance. One of the most beautiful aspects of taking counsel from the Torah sages is their refreshing ability to use the words "I don't know." Committing ourselves to re-introduce this phrase can be life-changing.

KIZAVNU: We have disappointed God, ourselves and others by not living up to our promises.

We tell people that we can be counted upon, when we really mean that we can be counted upon if things work out. When they don't, it is important to ask one's self: Why is it that in situations where integrity and convenience can't coexist, it is always integrity that must be sacrificed?

LATZNU: We have been contemptuous.

We have diminished the importance of people and values that deserve respect. We all know at least one person who makes himself/herself "big" by devaluing others. If that person is ourselves, then we must question the direction that our need for self-esteem takes us.

MARADNU: We have rebelled.

We, in our bottomless insecurity, have found ourselves negatively proving ourselves endlessly both to God and to our fellow man. How many times this year could our lives been spiritually improved, if we didn't have to "teach" anyone a lesson?

NIATZNU: We have enraged people.

We have purposely pushed other people's buttons. We have caused God's anger to be awakened by our self-destructive behavior. We've let our desire for human connection lead us to destructive interactions.

SARARNU: We have turned aside.

We have confronted truth and looked the other way. We have chosen ease over morality.

AVINU: We fallen victim to our impulses.

Would our lives be improved if we learned to not only ask ourselves the question "what" but the question "when"? The desire for instant gratification has financial, physical and emotional implications.

PESHANU: We have broken standards of behavior that we know to be right and then justified this because of our egotism.

Have we not found ourselves justifying bad decisions with lie after lie? Have we not moved forward because to do so would mean tacitly admitting that our present level is not "perfect" enough to gratify our bottomless egos?

TZARARNU: We afflicted others.

Even in situations where harsh words are demanded, whenever we go beyond what is called for, we are accountable for the pain suffered by every unnecessary word. While we may be just letting off steam, our victims may believe every word that we say. The result can be a tragic diminishment of their self-esteem.

KISHINU OREF: We have been stiff-necked.

We have been stubborn and unwilling to redefine ourselves. No matter how wrong we are, we insist that we are right.

RISHANU: We have been wicked.

This includes all forms of physical aggression or financial injustice (such as refusal to repay a loan). When Moses saw his fellow Jew striking another Jew, he called him "rasha." He never used this phrase in any other context.

SHICHATNU: We have been immoral.

This includes all forms of dehumanizing "hunting" members of the opposite sex, or the equally dehumanizing choice of becoming "prey." Do we question why we select a specific image to be the one that we use to let the world know who we are?

TAINU: We have erred.

This, of course, is not a reference to sins that we have done because we weren't aware of better options. This refers to the choice to remain ignorant out of fear or laziness that inevitably leads to making further mistakes. This is a good time to make a solid, defined resolution to learn more. Let it replace the vague realization that time is slipping by.

TIATANU: We have misled others.

We have spread our ignorant assumptions and thereby victimized others.

The purpose of studying this list is not to wallow in guilt. It is to bring us to the point where we can honestly come before God and say, "This is who I was. Help me be who I want to be. Help me find my truest self."

His help is guaranteed. He is our Father, not only our King.

I wish all of my Jewish readers an easy fast and a meaningful Yom Kippur. I unconditionaly forgive anyone who may have wronged me during this year, and I ask forgiveness for anyone I may have wronged as well.

May we all be sealed in the Book of Life and have a year of peace, prosperity, good health, and happiness.

The Timing of the Day of Judgment

Via JewishAnswers.org:

Why is Rosh HaShanah before Yom Kippur if on Yom Kippur we repent for last year’s sins… shouldn’t we do it before the New Year starts?

Thank you for your insightful question. I would take this question even further and ask why should Rosh Hashana, the ‘Day of Judgment’ – judgment on the deeds of the past year – occur on the first day of the new year, rather than on the last day of the past year.

The answer lies in the way Judaism views the concept of Judgment. Judgment is much more than simply determining how much punishment or reward a person deserves in this world and the next. According to the Talmud, all of a person’s sustenance for the coming year is determined on Rosh Hashana – it is a judgment in the sense of taking account of all the factors in a person’s life and then ‘judging’ what he requires for the year, a complete assignment of one’s potential. In other words, it is the renewal of the year itself which triggers a period of stocktaking during which G-d reevaluates the present state of the world, and makes a judgment as to what is required for the coming year. Yom Kippur is simply part of this period of judgment and renewal and thus occurs after the new year has begun.

Honest introspection is like the stock market

Watching how G-d loves me each day and how He interacts with me each day is like watching my ranking in Technorati go up and down. One day I'm doing great and the next day, well, not so good.

In the month of Elul we are taught that this is the time to prepare ourselves for the upcoming holiest days in the Jewish calendar. Our sages teach us that Teshuva, Tefila, and Tzedaka (Repentance, Prayer, and Charity) can reverse the heavenly decree.

Each of us, no matter what our level of observance is, no matter how far away we feel we are from Our Father in Heaven, no matter what grieving, pain and shame we have garnered from our mistakes, each one of us has the power to embrace G-d and become closer to Him. This is what we are taught.

We are also taught that we must live each day ever mindful that we are - do - exist - live - always in the presence of G-d. This is Elul, we are just past Rosh Chodesh, one month before Rosh Hashanah. Three books are being opened, one for the righteous people, one book for evil people, and one book for the rest of us, the mediocre people.

It's true that G-d uses a measure for measure interaction in our lives but if a person is a righteous person and knows he lives a spiritual life and knows that he lives in the presence of G-d then usually God prepares that person in this life with a court of merit. If someone does something bad or good, G-d should make you feel that pain or that happiness in this world. However most of us live in a materialistic world and G-d cannot pay us in a spiritual currency. We will pay for a spiritual suffering up there if we are not righteous. This is what we are taught.

Elul is an abbreviation of Ani l'dodi v'dodi li. I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine. My husband and I spoke these words to each other at our wedding ceremony.

HaShem is our Beloved. Our Beloved is ours. May we all feel throughout the month of Elul and the coming year that He is our Beloved and that we are beloved by Him. We are taught that that is what His will is.

My prayer is may it ever be His will, and may it ever be my will to be His beloved. There is no greater love.

Amen.

The month of Elul

"I have set before you life and death . . Therefore, choose life, that both you and your seed may live." -Deuteronomy 30:8

Oh, do I want to live, yes, more than anything, I want to know life and a life full of love and prayer and obedience to HaShem. I suppose you can say that I live an emotional life, not always predicated by my intellect, but a life in which I respond to things with a feeling more often than with an intellectual response. In some cases, being emotional has saved my life, because I felt danger and I reacted. In other cases, it made me happy, because I fell in love and married a wonderful guy. But probably the majority of the time, I feel sadness, because I still grieve for my father, I miss my dog, my aging mother is lonely and sad and I can't do anything to prevent it, I have had to abandon my trust in others, I have no relationship with my brother, I mourn the loss of being able to demonstrate my pride in being an American because the "Hate America" crowd is too powerful in this country, I miss my youth, I miss the old days with my family, I regret that I have not yet been to Israel to make aliyah, and the list goes on and on.

One feeling that I have that has just begun to stir my heart is the fact that Yom Kippur is coming; this is the month of Elul. I just feel it, I feel something and it is unusal for me to even think about it weeks before it has arrived. This never happened to me before. My spirit is being moved. I hope it means that HaShem is finding merit in me. Why else would the spark in me be so noticeable now? The smell in the afternoon air a few days ago and the way the cool wind blew, and the shadow of the sun as it was beginning its descent into the evening sky reminded me that Yom Kippur is coming and that we are at the beginning of the month of repentance. Indeed, Rosh Chodesh Elul begins at sundown on Monday, August 13, 2007. The month of Elul is a month of preparation for the month of Tishre and the Days of Awe, Rosh HaShannah and Yom Kippur. During this entire month we sound the Shofar every morning after our prayers to help prepare us to repent and purify ourselves for a good New Year. The most important time of the Jewish year is often the most awesome and inspiring as well as the most misunderstood. Here's all the basics you need to know.

Today in Jewish History - Av 9

Sponsored by Aish.com:

In 423 BCE, the first Holy Temple was destroyed by fire, as Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian troops conquered Jerusalem. Also on this day, the second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. Tisha B'Av has long been a day of calamity for the Jewish people: on this day, during the time of Moses, Jews in the desert accepted the slanderous report of the 12 Spies, resulting in the decree postponing enter to the Land of Israel. Other grave misfortunes throughout Jewish history occurred on the Ninth of Av: The Spanish Inquisition culminated with the expulsion of Jews from Spain on Tisha B'Av in 1492. World War I broke out on the eve of Tisha B'Av in 1914 when Germany declared war on Russia; German resentment from the war set the stage for the Holocaust. On the eve of Tisha B'Av 1942, the mass deportation began of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto, en route to Treblinka. Today, Tisha B'Av is the Jewish national day of mourning, when we don't eat, drink or bathe. Lights in the synagogue are dimmed, and we read the Book of Lamentations, Jeremiah's poetic lament over the destruction of Jerusalem.

Educational websites about Tisha B'Av

Received by email:
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Tisha B'Av is the saddest day on the Jewish calendar because of the incredible series of tragedies which occurred on that date throughout Jewish History.

Tisha B'Av means "the ninth (day) of the Hebrew month of Av." Tisha B'Av primarily commemorates the destruction of the first and second Temples, both of which were destroyed on the ninth of Av (the first by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E.; the second by the Romans in 70 C.E.). Although this day is primarily meant to commemorate the destruction of the Temple, it is appropriate to consider on this day the many other tragedies of the Jewish people, many of which occurred on this day, most notably the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492.

This year, the fast begins Monday night, July 23, 2007 and continues till after sundown on Tuesday, July 24, 2007.

I posted on my website links to 37 educational sites that describe practices, prohibitions, insights and explanations about this sad day in Jewish history.All 37 links have been reviewed / checked this week.

http://www.jr.co.il/hotsites/j-hdayav.htm

May we see the rebuilding of the Temple in our days and that Tisha B'Av becomes a day of celebration.

Today in Jewish History - 17 Tammuz

The 17th of Tammuz is a fast day commemorating the fall of Jerusalem, prior to the destruction of the Holy Temple. This also marks the beginning of a 3-week national period of mourning, leading up to Tisha B'Av. The 17th of Tammuz is the first of four fast days mentioned in the prophets. The purpose of a fast day is to awaken our sense of loss over the destroyed Temple - and the subsequent Jewish journey into exile. Sponsored by Aish.com:

Five major catastrophes occurred in Jewish history on the 17th of Tammuz:

(1) Moses broke the tablets at Mount Sinai, in response to the building of the Golden Calf.

(2) The daily offerings in the First Temple were suspended during the siege of Jerusalem in the 5th century BCE.

(3) Jerusalem's walls were breached, prior to the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE.

(4) Prior to the Great Revolt, the Roman general Apostamos burned a Torah scroll -- setting a precedent for the horrific burning of Jewish books throughout the centuries.

(5) An idolatrous image was placed in the Holy Temple -- a brazen act of blasphemy and desecration.

(Originally, the fast was observed on the Ninth of Tammuz since that was the day Jerusalem fell prior to the destruction of the First Temple in 586 BCE. However, after Jerusalem fell on the 17th of Tammuz - prior to the destruction of the Second Temple - the Sages decided upon a combined observance for both tragedies, the 17th of Tammuz.)

From more on this date, click here.

Today in Jewish History - Tammuz 9

Sponsored by Aish.com:

In 423 BCE, Nebuchadnezzar's troops breached the walls of old Jerusalem and entered the city. Four weeks later, the Holy Temple was destroyed, and the Jews were exiled to Babylon. Originally, a day of fasting and mourning was observed on the 9th of Tammuz. Seventy years later, however, when the Second Temple was built, the fast was abolished and the day was turned into a holiday. Some 500 years later when Jerusalem fell on the 17th of Tammuz -- prior to the destruction of the Second Temple -- the Sages decreed the 17th of Tammuz as a fast day to commemorate both tragedies.

40th Anniversary of the Reunification of Jerusalem

Via Israel HighWay:

Most Jews in Israel and throughout the world barely remember a time when the Old City of Jerusalem and the rest of east Jerusalem were not an important part of the fabric of the city and the country. For 19 years, from the founding of the State of Israel in 1948 until the Six Day War in 1967, Jerusalem was a city divided by barbed wire and dangerous "no-man’s land" running roughly north to south separating the Jewish people from the Old City of Jerusalem. The Old City, the City of David, was the cornerstone of 2,000 years of Jewish longing for Zion. The long-held dream of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel was finally achieved, but the heart of the land was at once visibly close and miles away.

When Israel was born in 1948, its citizens and armed forces were unable to defend the Old City, and it fell to the Jordanian Legion. Jews were cut off from their holiest sites in Jerusalem, including the Kotel (Western Wall), the City of David just outside the Old City Walls, Mt. Scopus and the ancient Mount of Olives cemetery.

Throughout this time the Jewish character of the Old City was systematically destroyed by the Jordanian government. Thousands of Jewish residents of east Jerusalem and the Old City were driven from their homes. Fifty-eight Jerusalem synagogues, including some that were hundreds of years old, were destroyed or ruined and others were turned into barns for animals or public bathrooms. The entire Jewish Quarter was destroyed, houses were built immediately adjacent to the Kotel and all access to the ancient city was completely denied to Jews. Then suddenly, in the middle of the Six Day War, Israel found itself, unexpectedly, in control of the Old City.

With the news that Israel had taken control of the Old City and east Jerusalem, Israelis from all over the country began flocking to the Kotel to celebrate their young country’s miraculous victory. With Israeli sovereignty in all of Jerusalem, the holy sites of the world’s three great monotheistic faiths were opened to all, as they had never been under centuries of Muslim rule.

Now, 40 years later, many Israelis don’t know an Israel without a united Jerusalem offering free access to the Kotel and the important cultural and historic sites in the Old City. What was once "no man's land" dividing Israeli west Jerusalem from Jordanian-controlled east Jerusalem is now home to many landmarks and tourist attractions. One such place is the Haas Promenade, the first stop for many tour groups because of its scenic overlook of the entire Jerusalem panorama.

In recent years, Jerusalem has struggled as a growing and modern city. The city's narrow and winding streets are often snarled with traffic, and the city center, the site of frequent terrorist attacks during the Second Intifada, has struggled to keep shoppers and to attract people seeking entertainment who favor the modern indoor mall on the outskirts of the city. However, the city is in the midst of a major building campaign centered around the Jerusalem light rail system which will connect the outlying neighborhoods of the city with the center of town. The light rail, with its signature "Bridge of Strings" at the entrance to the city, will serve as a catalyst for new pedestrian malls, shopping areas and a reduction of traffic in and around the city center.

However, everything is not settled. To this day, 40 years after the unification of the city and almost 60 years after the founding of the State of Israel, the world refuses to fully accept Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Children born in Jerusalem to American parents are issued U.S. passports with the country of birth left blank. For decades, only two countries, Costa Rica and El Salvador, maintained their Israeli embassies in Jerusalem, and both of those countries announced last year that they would be moving their embassies to Tel Aviv.

The issue of Jerusalem has played a significant role in various diplomatic discussions in recent years and remains a key "final status" issue in the on-again, off-again talks between Israel and the Palestinians. The Oslo Accords, the negotiations at Camp David and the other interim discussions have all touched on the future of Jerusalem but opted to postpone the discussion. This year’s controversy over the Mugrabi Gate excavations shows just how sensitive an issue Jerusalem can be. The Mugrabi Gate serves as the entry point to the Temple Mount for all non-Muslim visitors. The bridge was built after the Six Day War to bring visitors to the Temple Mount. Recently it was heavily damaged during torrential rainstorms, and Jerusalem city architects ruled that is must be replaced with a more permanent and safer structure. In February, initial excavations of the site for the new bridge brought a swirl of controversy from the Muslim world, with Muslim and Arab leaders accusing Israel of seeking to undermine mosques on the Mount. Israel defended the decision to rebuild by inviting inspectors from various countries to observe and inspect the area themselves. A UN ruling on the incident cleared Israel of wrongdoing, acknowledging that they had acted with professionalism.

What is the future of Jerusalem? Will it remain the undivided capital of Israel or will the world demand official Palestinian sovereignty in parts of the Holy City? The answers to these questions remain unclear to all; but on this, the 40th Yom Yerushalayim, we should all stop to appreciate the Eternal City.

Take Action:

* Celebrate Yom Yerushalayim on May 16.
- Put an Israeli flag on your window or porch.
- Wear an Israeli flag pin.
* Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Attend a special service at your school or synagogue to mark the miracle of Jerusalem's reunification.
* Write a letter to your congressmen, senator, President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice demanded that the American Embassy be moved to Jerusalem.

* Watch these video clips on Jerusalem:

- Jerusalem of Gold
- Matisyahu's Tribute to Jerusalem

Click here to listen to a live broadcast of the liberation of the Old City on June 7, 1967.

Yom HaAtzma'ut - Israel Independence Day

Via Hebcal:

Yom HaAtzma'ut commemorates the declaration of independence of Israel in 1948. Note that Hebcal displays modern holidays like Yom HaAtzma'ut according to the Israeli schedule. Although Yom HaAtzma'ut is normally observed on the 5th of Iyyar, it may be moved earlier or postponed if observance of the holiday (or Yom HaZikaron, which always preceeds it) would conflict with Shabbat.

List of Dates

Yom HaAtzma'ut begins at sundown in the Diaspora on:

Mon, 23 April 2007 (6th of Iyyar, 5767)
Wed, 07 May 2008 (3rd of Iyyar, 5768)
Tue, 28 April 2009 (5th of Iyyar, 5769)
Mon, 19 April 2010 (6th of Iyyar, 5770)

References: The Jewish Holidays: A Guide & Commentary
Rabbi Michael Strassfeld

Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures Jewish Publication Society

Pesach Massacre Averted: Hamas Mass Murder Car was in Tel Aviv

From INN:

For as yet unknown reasons, a massive Hamas terror attack intended to take place in the Tel Aviv area during the Passover Seder was averted. A similar attack five years ago killed 30 people in Netanya and triggered the IDF's Operation Defensive Shield. The General Security Service (Shabak) has acknowledged that a Hamas terrorist successfully entered the Greater Tel Aviv area in a car laden with 100 kg. (220 lbs.) of explosives before Passover. Besides the explosives, it contained large amounts of shrapnel material, intended to maximize carnage. For reasons that are not yet known, the attack was not carried out and the terrorist drove the car back to Kalkilye, from where it had come. The car exploded in Kalkilyeh, in what the Shabak says was a 'work accident.'